Ruffling mechanism for sewing-machines.



A. H. DE VOE.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- I4. 1912.

1,241,719. Patented 001;. 2,1917.

3 SHEETS-SNEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 4 95m, B 7 w nrromm WITNESSES:

01%. 3 mm j'ww 9.2

A. H. DE VOE.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I4- l9l2| INVENTOR A TTORNEY A. H. DE VOE.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1912.

1,241,719. I Patented Oct. 2,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVEN TOR fin 6 $150M BY I Q\ ATTORNEY NIB @A E ATEN OFFICE.

ALBERT I-I. VOE, OF IVESTFIELID, NENV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU' FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed November 14, 1912.

Z '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. DE Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rutlling Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its objects to provide a ruflling mechanism which may be readily applied to and detached from the frame of a sewing machine without disarrangement or material change in the mechanisms for effecting the stitch-forming and feeding operations, whereby a machine fitted for ordinary straightaway stitching may be readily adapted for ruflling, or a stitching and ruflling machine as readily adapted for ordinary straightaway stitching; to provide mechanism for ruftling with means for vary ing vthe rufiling action mounted below the sewing machine work-plate in order to provide the greatest possible space beneath the bracket-arm for the handling of the work; to provide simple and effective mechanism for producing groups of rutlles in predetermined numbers at the will of the operator; to insure against disarrangement of the mechanism or a repetition or prolongation of a rutlling period through improper manipulation of the throw-in device by the operator.

In its preferred embodiment, the milling mechanism is mounted in a bracket constructed separately from the sewing machine frame to which it is adapted to be detachably secured, the main-shaft of the machine being provided merely with an actuating cam to fit it to receive the rullling mechanism. The ruttling mechanism preferably comprises a rufller rock-shaft carrying a willing blade and provided with a radial arm connected by means of a sliding coupling device with a similar arm upon an actuating rock-shaft having a yoked arm embracing the actuating cam upon the mainshaft of the sewing machine.

The coupling device is provided with a plunger-pin slidingly fitted within a socket of a shift-lever fulcrumed at one side of said rock-shafts and provided with means where- Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 731,251.

by it may be held in different positions to vary the operative connection between the rock-shafts and the consequent range of action of the rullling blade.

In order to provide the ruilling mechanism with means for interrupting its operative action upon the work at the completion of a group of rullles of predetermined number, the shift-lever is connected with a dc tentarm engaged by a holding pawl which is adapted for disengagement therefrom by the action of a tripping pin carried by a ratchet-toothed sector having an actuating pawl thrown into operation by theinovement of the shift-lever to inaugurate a willing operation, and retracted by a connection with said detent arni in its return to initial position at the completion of a ruflling action. The toothed sector is provided with a retracting spring by means of which it is maintained normally in an initial position determined by an adjustable stop, its advance or tripping position being the same for all adjustments of said stop, to vary the number of teeth exposed to the actuating pawl and consequently the number of rullles of each group. The shift-lever is adapted to be moved so as to carry the coupling from initial to different predetermined opcrative positions, for determination of the extent of ruining-blade stroke, by means of an operating lever adapted to be connected with a treadle or knee-lever and provided with a latch member normally in the path of movement of and adapted to engage the shift-lever but having a part engaged by an adjustable normally stationary cam-clement for disengaging it from the shift-lever at a predetermined position in the range of movement of the operating lever. By this means the operating lever not only ceases to be effective in moving the shift-1ever after imparting the desired degree of movement to the same for production of a group of ruflles, but is thereafter maintained out of operative relation therewith'throughout the entire ruflling period, even in case the operating lever should be maintained at the end of its operative stroke or should be actuated repeatedly a second time during the same ruilling period.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

machine, and Fig. a similar View of the same mechanism viewed from the opposite d rect on. .Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portlon of the counting mechanism, and Fig.

7 a similar view of the coupling device for the actuating and ruffling-blade sustaining rock-shafts. i

The sewing machine is shown constructed with the frame comprising the base 1 from which rises the hollow standard 2 having the tubular bracket-arm 3 with hollow head 4. The base 1 is provided with suitable bearings in which is journaled the main-shaft 5, and is formed at its forward end with the standards 6 and rearward thereof with the post 7 upon which is secured the work-plate 8, from the rearward end of which rises the shield-plate 9.

Within thehead/l: of the bracket-arm is journaled the usual reciprocating needle-bar 10 which is herein shown provided with the twin-needle clamp 11 carrying the needles 12 which in practice coeperate with threadcarrying loopers. Within the bracket-arm head is also journaled the presser-bar 13 pressed downwardly by means of the spring 14 sustainedupon the top of the bracketarm; 3, the presser-bar having secured to its lower end the usual presser-foot 15 with upturned forward portion 16 and adapted to rest normally upon the throat-plate 17 I secured upon thestandards 6 of the base 1. Working through suitable apertures 18 of the throat-plate 17 are the serrated feeding surfaces 19 of the feed-dog having the usual operative connections comprising the rocker 20 and eccentric-rod 21 with the feed-actuating eccentric 22 upon the nrain-shaft.

Secured upon the forward edge of the base 1' bymeans of screws 23 is the angular.

foot 24 of a bracket formed with the forward bearing boss 25 and the alined bearing bosses 26 and 27 rearward thereof, and at the rearward end with the upwardly extenda ing bearing plate 28 having the bearing boss 29.

J ournaled in the bearing bosses 26 and 27 is the ruffler rock-shaft 30 disposed parallel with the main-shaft 5 and having secured upon its forward end by means of screws 31 the split hub 3210f the rufflerblade carrying arm 33, pivotally mounted upon the upper end of which is the tilting block 34to which is secured the ruffling blade 35 substantially boss 37 from which extends radially the up- '7 wardly and forwardly projecting arm 38 in the form of a cylindrical pin. A similar pin 39] extends in substantially the'same direction from a' lateral lug 40 of a block 41 secured by means of screws 42 upon the rearwardface of an extension 43 of an arm 44 formed witha yoke 45 embracing the ruftier-actuating cam or eccentric 46 upon the main-shaft, and 1 having a hub 47 secured upon the rearward end of the intermediate rock-shaft 48 which is journaledin the hearing boss 25 parallel with the ru'lflerrockshaft 30 and restrained against endwise movement by means of the collar 49 secured thereon.

Slide-blocks 50 and 51, each formed with an aperture 52, are fitted respectively upon the radial arms 38 and 39 and are provided a-t'oneside of such apertures with extensions 53 in which are formed transverse apertures entered by portions of the pivotal. pin 54 projecting oppositely from anintermediate washer 55 constituting the head of the edgewiseprojecting plunger-pin 56. The plunger-pin 56 is fitted within a socket57 of a radial boss 58 formed upon one arm 59 of an angular shift-lever mounted upon the fulcrum-pin 60 journaled within the hearing boss29, said shift-lever having a lateral arm 61. V v

Secured upon the pin 60 at the opposite side of the bearing boss 29 of the plate 28 is the hub 62 of a rigid arm 63 provided at its outer end with the ratchet toothed sector 6.4 adapted for engagement by the toothed extremity 65 of the detent pawl 66 ful crumed upon the screw-stud 67 and provided with the curved arm 68.- The detentpawl 66 is provided with a lateral lug 69 formed in its lower side with a recess between whose inner end and the inner end of a similar recess formed in the member 70 sustained by the bearing plate 28 is interposed a spring 71 adapted to maintain the pawl 66 in operative relation with the toothed sector 64. The arm 63 has an extension 72 formed with a socket housinga spring 73 with one extremity resting upon the inner end of the socket and the opposite end embracing a centering stud 74 and resting upon the plate 75 securedupon a part 2 extending from the standard 2 (Fig, 5). By means of the spring 73 the arm 63 is normally maintained with its toothed sector below its position of engagement with the. detent-arm 66 and the socket 58 of the shiftlever 59 is maintained in its lower position in which the pivotal pin 54 occupies a sub-. stantially neutral position near the axisof the rock-shaft 48 wherein it transmits from the rocker-arm or rocker 14 to the rufller rock-shaft 30 a minimum rocking movement which imparts to the ruflling blade 35 an operative stroke not exceeding the normal feeding movement of the feed-dog so as to produce no ruflling action upon the work.

The arm 61 of the shift-lever has pivotally mounted thereon by means of the screwpin 76 the contact-block 77 normally maintained in fixed relation with the arm 61 by means of a butler-spring 78 interposed between the ends of sockets formed respectively in an extension 77 of the block 77 and a lateral projection 58 of the socket 58.

Fulcrumed upon a stud-pin 79 extending from the bearing plate 28 is the angular operating lever 80 having in its free end the aperture 81 to which is attached a cord or chain 82 connected with a treadle or kneelever below the sewing machine. The operating lever is formed near its outer end with a socket 83 in which is fitted the latch-plug 84 provided at its outer end with the tooth 85 with beveled upper side and with its lower side affording an abrupt shoulder for positive engagement with the upper face of the contact block 77. The plug 81 is normally pressed outwardly by means of a spring 86 interposed between theend of its socket and the adjacent extremity of the plug, its range of movement within the socket being limited by engagement with a fixed transverse pin 87 of the ends of a 1011- git-udinal slot 88 formed in the plug.

The latch-plug 841 is provided upon its lower side with the tappet-arm 89 passing through a slot 90 of the socket 83 and adapted for engagement with the cam-shaped extremity 91 of the stationary tripping arm 92 of a lever fulcrumed upon the stud-pin 79 and having an oppositely extending arm 93 terminating in the finger-piece 94: adjacent which is a transverse enlargement formed with a slot 95 concentric with the stud-pin 79 and adapted to be entered by the fastening screw 96 tapped. into the bearing plate 28 for holding the lever 92 93 in the desired position of adjustment.

The operating lever 80 is provided upon its rearward face with a. lateral lug 97 carrying the pin 98 embraced by the spring 99 having one end resting against the nut 100 and the opposite end engaging the inner end of an aperture formed in the socket member 101 sustained by the bearing plate 28, by means of which the operating lever is normally maintained in its upper position. The operating lever has a uniform range of operative movement from the upper position represented in the drawings to a lower extreme position determined, in the present instance, by the engagement of the nut 100 with the adjacent end of the socket 101 atfording a stop therefor. When the operating lever is drawn down to set the mechanism for ruflling, the tooth 85 of the latchplug 84 engages the upper face of the contact member 77 and thus carries with it the shift-lever 59 to move the coupling pin 54: outwardly from the actuating and rulller rock-shafts until the encounter of the round ed extremity of the tappet-arm S9 with the cam member 91 by means of which the latch plug 84 is retracted in opposition to the spring 86 and the tooth 85 disengaged from the member 77, the toothed sector 6 1 of the detent-arm 63 being brought into engage- .ment with the nose 65 of the detent-pawl 66, as represented in the drawings. As will be observed, the point of disengagement ol the parts 85 and 77 in this operative movement of the lever 80 will be determined by the position of the adjustable cam-member 91., which will determine the resulting position of the coupling pin 54- and the particular tooth 64. of the detent-arm 63 engaged by the detent-pawl 66 whereby the coupling pin 51 is maintained in the desired operative or ruflling position.

Journaled upon the stud 102 sustained by the bearing plate 28 is the hub 103 of a sector-arm 10-1 provided with peripheral ratchet teeth 105, the arm 10L having an oppositely projecting extension 106 carrying the tripping pin 107 engaged by an arm 108 at one end of a spring 109 coiled around the hub 103 and having its opposite end 110 bent into parallelsim with the hub.

Journaled also upon the stud 102 is the stop-plate 111 formed upon one face with the lug 112 having at one edge the recess 113 adapted "for engagement with the pin 107 of the segment arm extension 106, and provided at its outer extremity with the fingerpiece 114 and adjacent the same with the transverse member 115 provided with the segmental slot 116 entered by the shank of the clamp-screw 117 tapped into the bearing plate 28. Near its fulcrum point the platd 111 is provided with an aperture 118 eutered by the extremity 110 ,of the spring 109 which latter acts upon the segmental arm 104: in such n anner as to normally maintain the pm 101 in engagement with the stopmember 113 which is adjustable in different i positions by the shifting of the plate 111 when the elamp-screw 117 is loosened for the purpose.

Secured to the block 41 sustained by the rocker 14 by means of the fastening screw 119 is the foot-piece 120 of a pin 121 passing through a segmental aperture 122 of the bearing plate 28 and provided upon its outer end with the roller 123. The roller 123 is embraced by the forked lower end 124- of the depending arm 125 of a rock-lever fnlerumed upon the stud 102 and provided with an upwardly extending arm 126 formed with the apertured bearing boss 127 and with the laterally ofi'set spaced lugs 128 and 133 formed with an'aperturedlateral lug 134 between which and the bottom of an aperture in the lug 128 is interposed the spring 135 by means of which the tooth 132 or the pawl is pressed into operative engagement with the teeth of the sector-arm 104, the operative position of the pawl being determined by the engagement of the lug 134 with the point of the stop-screw 136 tapped through the lug 129 and sur rounded by a friction spring 137 interposed between the latter and the head of the screw. The pawl extension 133 has upon the face opposite the lug 134 the laterally project-- ing pin 138 lying in the path of movement of the inclined edge of the tripping cam element 139 carried by the detent arm 63.

Near its outer end, the detent-pawl 66 is provided with an enlargement 66 which carries a screw-pin 140 upon which is journaled the holding pawl 141 whose lower edge conforms substantially in shape with and overlies the adjacent edge of the ac tuating pawl 131, and whose operative extremity 142 is adapted to engage the peripheral teeth 105 of the sector-arm 104. The holding pawl 141 has an extension 143 between the recessed face of which and the correspondingly recessed adjacent face of the detent-pawl 66 is interposed the spring 144 by means of which the holding pawl is normally pressed into operative relation with the sector-arm.

As represented in Figs. 1 and 2, to the depending flange at the front of the Workplate 8 is secured by Ineans'of screws 145 the foot 146 of the base-plate 147 of an attachment comprising the spaced separating plates 148, above which is sustained the usual separator-blade 149 with serrated forward edge and the superposed edge-turner 150 with the lateral work-sustaining wing 151. In practice the rufiling-blade carrying arm 33 performs its operative movements at one side of the throat-plate and the ruflling blade secured thereon is laterally offset in its forward portion, as represented in my Patent No. 984,081, so as to cotiperate with the under face of the separator blade 149 in performing the ruffling operation.

' In the operation of the machine, the oper: ating lever 80 is normally in upper or inoperative position, the shift-lever 59 is low-- ered to bring the coupling pin 54 in substantially inoperative position and the attached detent-arm 63 lowered out of operative engagement with the detent pawl 66 inwhich position its cam element 139 rests upon the pin 138 to lift, the actuating pawl 131 and with itthe holding pawl 141 from engagement with the sector-arm 104 which latter is maintained by its spring 109 in retracted position in which the pin 107 rests in engagement with the stop member 113. During this time the rocker-arm 44 continues its operative movements, while the plain stitching progresses, and carries with it the roller-stud 123 which imparts continuous rocking movements to the pawl-carrying lever 125 126.

In order to set the attachment for pro-" ducing ruffles of the desired size and num-- her, the cam lever 92 93 is set so as to bring its operative extremity 91 at the required point to disengage the latch-plug 84 from the shiftlever member 77 in the required position of the coupling pin 54; and the stop-platelll is properly set to bring the member 113 in such position as to expose the number of teeth of the segment-arm 104 to the action of the actuating pawl 131 corresponding with the number of rufiles to be made, the actuating pawl receiving one jogging movement corresponding with the pitch of the ratchet teeth for each stitchforming cycle.

In throwing the attachment into action, the operating lever 80 is depressed through its full stroke by the operator, thereby throwing the shift-lever into the desired rufliing position wherein it is held by engagement of the detent pawl 66 with the sector-teeth 64 of the arm 63. The rise of the arm 63 under such action disengages the cam member 139 from the pin 138, thereby permitting the actuating and holding pawls to assume operative relation with the sectorarm 104 under the action of their respective springs. As the operation progresses, the counting device afforded by the sector-arm 104 and pawls 131 141 continues in op eration until the pin 107 engages the extremity of the arm 68 of the detent pawl 66, when the latter is forcibly disengaged from the toothed sector 64 and the shiftlever 59 thrown into initial relatively inoperative position under the action of the spring 7 3. As the arm 63 reaches its initial lower position, the cam element 139 is again brought into engagement with the pin 138 which it forces downward, thereby tilting the actuating pawl 131 out of engagement with the teeth 105 of the sector-arm, and with it lifts the holding pawl 141 whereby the sector-arm is permitted under'the action of its spring 109 to regain initial position in readiness for a succeeding rufiling operation, with thepin 107 in engagement with the stop element 113.

As will be readily understood from the foregoing, the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms normally act continuously, or

without cessation, throughout a working period and the ruffling mechanismis adapted to be manually thrown into operation and automatically thrown out of operation during the same period.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. The ruflling mechanism comprising an actuating rock-shaft provided with a radial arm, a rufl'ler rock-shaft also provided with a radial arm, said arms extending from the same side of their respective shafts, a ruffling blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, blocks slidingly mounted upon said arms, a pivotal pin connecting said blocks and occupying initial position substantially coaxial with said actuating rockshaft, means for manually shifting said blocks upon their respective arms, and automatically acting means for returning said blocks to initial position.

2. The rufiling mechanism comprising an actuating rock-shaft provided with a radial arm, a rufller rock-shaft also provided with a radial arm, said arms extending from the same side of their respective shafts, a rufller blade operatively connected independently of said arms with said rock-shaft, blocks slidingly mounted upon said arms, a pivotal pin connecting said blocks, means including a shift-lever sustaining said pin for manually shifting said blocks from an initial position radially upon their respective arms, and automatically acting means for returning said blocks to initial position.

3. The rufiling mechanism comprising an actuating rocleshaft provided with a radial arm, a ruffler rock-shaft also provided with a radial arm, said arms extending from the same side of their respective shafts, a ruffling blade operatively connected with said rufller rock-shaft, blocks slidingly mounted upon said arms, a pivotal pin connecting said blocks and rigidly connected with a plunger-pin extending transversely thereto, and a shift-lever mounted upon a fulcrum at one side of the axes of movement of said rock-shafts and provided with a socket entered by said plunger-pin.

4." The rufliing mechanism comprising a bracket constructed independently of and adapted for attachment to a sewing machine frame and provided with parallel bearings and carrying a fulcrum-stud at one site of and parallel with said bearings, parallel actuating and ruiiler rock-shafts journaled in said bearings and each having a radial arm extending therefrom in the same direction, a ruffling blade operatively connected with the rutlier roclcshaft, blocks slidingly mounted upon said arms, a pivotal pin connecting said blocks, and a shift-lever journaled upon said fulcrum-stud. and adapted to sustain said pivotal pin and provided with means for moving it to change the connection of said shafts.

5. The rufiling mechanism comprising a bracket constructed independently of and adapted for attachment to a sewing machine frame and provided with parallel bearings and carrying a fulcrum-stud at one side of and parallel with said bearings, parallel actuating and rulller rock-shafts journaled in said bearings and each having a radial arm extending therefrom in the same direction, a ruflling blade operativcly connected with the rulller rock'shaft, blocks slidingly mounted upon said arnis, a plunger-pin carrying a transverse pivotal pin connecting said blocks, and a shift-lever jonrnaled upon said fulcrum-stud and provided with a socket entered by said plunger-pin and with means for moving it to shift the position of the blocks upon their respective radial arms.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a worksupport and a bracket-arm, and stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, of ruflling mechanism mounted below said work-support, and means connected with the ruflling mechanism and provided with adjusting means for determining the length of its period of action and also sustained from below the worksupport.

7. The rullling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a rullling blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms and provided with shifting means for moving it along the same, a counting device operatively connected with said rocker, and an operative connection between said counting device and shifting means whereby the duration of the rufliing period is determined.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a work-support and a b 'acket-arm, and a main-shaft mounted beneath the work-support, and stitehforming and feeding mechanisms, of rufliing mechanism mounted below said work-support and comprising a rufller rock-shaft arranged parallel with the main-shaft and sustaining a ruilling blade, a rocker comprising a yoked lever, a cam upon the main-shaft embraced by said lever, radial arms rigidly sustained by said rocker and rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms and provided with shifting means for moving it along the same, a counting device, and an operative connection between said counting device and shifting means whereby the period of action of the rutlling mechanism is controlled.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a work-support and a bracket-arm, and a main-shaftmounted beneath the work-support, and stitchforming and feeding mechanisms, of ruiiling mechanism mounted below said work-support and comprising a rufiler rock-shaft arranged parallel with the inain-shaft and sustaining a rulliing blade, a rocker comprising a yoked lever, a cam upon the mainshaft embraced by said lever, radial arms rigidly sustained by said rocker and rockshaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms and provided with shifting means for moving it along the, same, a counting device connected with and operated by said rocker, and an operative connection between said counting device and shifting means whereby the period of action of the ruflling mechanism is controlled.

10. The ruiiling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a ruffiing blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shift-- lever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, means including a detent element for detaining said shift-lever in another position, and means for tripping said detaining means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

11. The rufliing mechanism comprising af rocker provided with a radial arm, a rock shaft also provided with a radial arm, c ruflling blade operatively connected with? said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly, j fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shif -g lever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, means including a latch-element for detaining said shift-lever in another position, and automatically acting means for tripping said detaining means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

12. The ruffling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaftalso provided with a radial arm, a ruffling blade operatively connected with saidrock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shiftlever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, means including a latch element for detaining said shift-lever. in another position, and automatically acting means operatively connected with said rocker for tripping said detaining means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

13; The rutfling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a rufi ling blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shiftlever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, a reciprocatory operatingmemberadapted for operative connection with said shift-lever, means whereby the period of connection of said shift lever with the operating member during a continuous, movement of the latter in one direction may be adjusted, detaining means for holding the shiftdever in operative po sition, and tripping means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

14. The ruflling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a ruliling blade operatively connected with with the ruiiler rock-shaft, blocks slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shift lever connected with said. coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, a manually controlled operating lever, a latch element carried thereby and adapted for engagement with the shift-lever, automatically acting means for disengaging said latch element from the shift-lever during an operative movement of the operating lever, detaining means for holding the shift-lever inoperative position, and tripping means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

15. The ruiiiing mechanismv comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a ruflling blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shiftlever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, a reciprocatory operating member, a spring-pressed latch element mounted thereon and adapted for operative engagement with the shift-lever, a fixed cam member disposed within'the' path of movement of and adapted for engagement with said latch element to disengage it from the shift-lever, detaining means for holding the shift-lever in operative position, and tripping means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position.

16. The rufiiing mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a ruining blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted. to said arms, shifting means connected with said coupling device and including a toothed segment, a detent-pawl adapt ed for engagement with said toothed sector, a spring acting in opposition to said pawl and adapted to normally maintain said coupling in an initial position, adjustable means for moving said shifting means in. opposition to said spring, and a counting device with means for disengaging said detent-pawl from said toothed sector.

17. The rullling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a

ruffiing blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly litted to said arms, shifting means connected with said coupling device and including atoothed sector, a detent-pawl adapted for engagement with said toothed sector, a spring acting in opposition to said pawl and adapted to normally maintain said coupling device in an initial position, adjustable means for moving said shifting means in opposition to said spring, and a counting device operatively connected with and actuated by said rocker :tor disengaging said detent-pawl from said toothed sector.

18. The ruflling mechanism comprising a rocker provided with a radial arm, a rockshaft also provided with a radial arm, a ruilling blade operatively connected with said rock-shaft, a coupling device slidingly fitted to said arms, a spring-pressed shiftlever connected with said coupling device and adapted to normally maintain the same in an initial position, a reciprocatory operating member adapted for operative connection with said shift-lever, detaining means for holding the shift-lever in operative position, tripping means for permitting the shift-lever to return to initial position, and means whereby said operating member is maintained out of operative engagement with the shift-lever in the period between the initial movement of the latter and the tripping of the same preparatory to its return to initial position.

19. The rufliing mechanism comprising a 3 rull'ling blade, a rocker, means including a coupling device for establishing and interrupting operative relation between said ruffling blade and rocker, a spring connected with said coupling device, cooperating de A; tent elements for holding the coupling device in operative position in opposition to said spring, a spring-retracted ratchettoothed sector carrying a tripping pin adapted for engagement with one of said detent elements to disengage it from the other, an actuating pawl for said sector, means for reciprocating said pawl, and automatically acting means -for disengaging said pawl from said sector.

90. The rutlling mechanism comprising a willing blade, a rocker, means including a coupling device for establishing and interrupting operative relation between said ruffling blade and rocker, a spring connected with said coupling device, cooperating detent elements for holding the coupling device in operative position in opposition to said spring, a spring-retracted ratchettoothed sector carrying a tripping pin adapted for engagement with one of said detent elements to disengage it from the other, an actuating pawl for said sector, means carried by the other of said detent elements for disengaging the actuating pawl from said sector, and means for reciprocating said pawl.

21. The rull'ling mechanism comprising a rullling blade, a rocker, means including a coupling device for establishing and interrupting operative relation between said ruflling blade and rocker, a spring connected v with said coupling device, cooperating detent elements for holding the coupling device in operative position in opposition to said spring, a spring-retracted ratchettoothcd sector carrying a tripping pin adapted "for engagement with one of said detent elements to disengage it from the other, an adjustable stop for determining the initial position of said sector, an actuating pawl for said sector, means for reciprocating said pawl, and automatically acting means for disengaging said pawl from said sector.

22. The ruliling mechanism comprising a rullling blade, a rocker, means including a coupling device for establishing and interrupting operative relation between said ruffling blade and rocker, a spring connected with said coupling device, a detent-arm con- 23. The rullling mechanism comprising a .LCU

rullling blade, a rocker for actuating the same, a coupling device for establishing operative relation between said ruiliing blade and its actuating rocker, means connected with said coupling device for determining the length of stroke of said rulller-blade, a counting device adjustable independently thereof for determining the number of ruffling impulses oi a series, a manually operated shift-lever for initiating the actuation of said ruiilcr-blade. and automatically acting means for returning said coupling device to initial position.

24. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a work-support and a bracket-arm, and continuously acting stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, of rullling mechanism mounted below said worksupport, and means also sustained below the works11pport and connected with the ruilling mechanism for determining the length of its period of action.

25. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a work-support and a bracketarm, and stitch-forming and :lceding mechanisms, of rufiling mechanism mounted below said worksupport, and means including an adjustable element also sustained below the worlesupport and connected with the ruffling mechanism whereby Zinc the length of the period of action of the rufv neeted with the ruiiling'mechanism and provided With adj Listing means for determining the length of its period of action.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT H. DE VOE.

Witnesses:

W. P. STEWART, H, A. KORNEMANN, Jr.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents. Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,241,719, granted October 2, 1917, upon the application of Albert H. De Voe, of Westfield, New Jersey, for an ixnprovement in Rufiling Mechanisms for SeWing-lVIachines, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 6, claim 14, strike out line 78 and insert the Words sae'cl TOCk-Shdf t, a coupling device sliding 1y; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of January, A. D., 1918.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

